Hay-fork



(No Model.)

0. H. LEWIS. HAY PORK.

No. 572,490. Patented Dec. 1, 1896.

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OVERTON H. LEIVIS, OF RICHARDS, MISSOURI.

HAY-FORK.

. SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 572,490, dated December 1, 1896.

Application filed May 21,1896. Serial No.'592,491. (N model.)

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, OvERToN-H. LEWIS, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Richards, in the county of Vernon and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hay-Forks; and

g I do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.-

This invention relates to improvements in hay-forks of the style known to the trade as Noyess hay-fork, and shown in Letters Patent issued to La Verne W. Noyes January 22, 1-87 8, numbered 199,378.

The object of my invention is to provide each trigger of the hay-fork with a shield that will prevent said trigger from being accidentally tripped by contact with the stack, which often happens with the device as it is now placed 'on the market. This tripping of the trigger has been obviated by drawing the fork away from the stack by the rope that operates the trigger, but this adds to the labor of handling the fork, and is also likely to trip the triggers before the proper time. I accomplish the end by the employment of a shield or shields constructed to slip over the stops with which the triggers engage, and presents a curved portion that protects the end of the trigger.

By the particular construction of my improved shield the same can be readily attached to the style of hay-fork hereinbefore mentioned without requiring the use. of screws, bolts, or other fastening devices, as the spring tendency of the metal permits the shield to slip over the stop. 7

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a hay-fork, showing my improved shields applied thereto; and Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the shield.

The frame of the fork presents two divergin g side members A A, each consisting of two plates, and to the lower ends of said side members, between the plates thereof, the tines l3 B are pivoted at an intermediate point. The upper end of each tine has pivoted thereto a trigger O,provided with a notched end adapted to engage a stop D, securely attached between the plates of the side members B of the frame, and to these triggers is connected a cord or flexible connection 6, which passes over suitable guide-rollers and carries a ring to which the operating-rope is attached. The hoisting-rope is connected to an eye formed at the upper part of the frame of the fork, as shown.

The device so far described is substantially the same as that shown and described in the patent of Noyes referred to, and is as that style of fork is now placed on the market.

The stops D are constructed or shaped so that the side edges thereof curve inward and the rear end rounded, as shown in the drawings, and with a stop so constructed I make the shield of such configuration that it will slip over the same and be held in engagement by frictional contact therewith.

F designates my improved shield, which is made up of a-strip of spring metal bent at one end to provide a loop f, having inwardlycurved side members, from which the other part of the strip is curved in the segment of of a circle. The free end of the segment is spread to bear against the side members of the fork when the said shield is applied, and the other end of the strip is bent inward to insure a better engagement with the stop D.

The shield constructed as hereinbefore de scribed is applied by forcing the loop f over the stop D, so that the curved side members of said loop will embrace the side edges of said stop, the parts being shaped to correspond, and when so applied the segment will provide a space for the end of the trigger and prevent the same coming in contact with the stack.

The shield provides a very simple, cheap, and effective attachment for hay-forks of the style mentioned, and when applied removes a very serious objection which has heretofore existed in this style of fork.

I am aware it is not new to provide a hayfork with a curved guard or shield to protect the trigger against accidental tripping, and I therefore do not claim such broadly, but

limit my invention to the particular construction and combination of the parts, as shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a horse hay-fork having arms between which are rigidly secured stops, said arms carrying pivoted tines plates, the upper end of each tine carrying a catch; of stops rigidly secured between the parallel bars or plates and shaped to present inwardly-curved side edges, and a shield 1 made up of a single strip of flat spring inetal bent or looped at one end to conform to the configuration of the stop, as shown, the other part of said strip being curved in the segment of a circle and the outer end spread to engage the outer edges of the parallel bars below the upper end of the tine, substantially as set forth, whereby the shield will give when the tines impinge against the same.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

OVERTON II. LEWIS. \Vitnesses:

S. J. RINEHART, E. B. TODD. 

